When The Universe Isn't Enough
by Minoudixenpierre
Summary: When the Doctor takes Belle to the beautiful planet of Mikyo, the last thing they both expect is to encounter a cat nun in a hospital. And suddenly, things change, and they find themselves trying to live life to the full before the end & Torchwood's back.
1. Before the end, I leave you this

_They all say you never know how long you've got, but I do. I've got 167 hours, 25 minutes and 38 seconds to live my life. But that's okay, because I can live it with you. That's better than anything._

That exactly what I said approximately 158 hours ago. And now the clock's slowing, time is running out, because the batteries are dying. And I am those batteries in that very clock.

You're probably wondering why I'm writing this, well, written this, but it's for you, so you understand. It was never your fault, and I'm glad we got things straight(ish) before I left you. I didn't want to leave you, but isn't it always the way?

The way things always were. It was almost as if the universe was waiting for the moment, and damn, it couldn't have picked any better.

I love you. I told you that, told you and held you close to me, because I didn't want to let you go. But dying with you by my side? There is no doubt that this was better than living without you, you made me who I am. Who I were. I'm not gone if you don't forget, you do know that, don't you?

I don't want you to cry, please, please don't cry. I couldn't bear it if you did, but I'll know you probably will when you read this because… I don't think I need to say why. I think we both know well.

As for Kenzie? Wow, he's really something, isn't he? He's going to be just like you when he grows up, you know, I can tell by his eyes. There's so much hope there, and I know he'll keep you going. He'll keep you going just like you kept me going. Just as my life is ending, his is just beginning. Perhaps this was always meant to be…

I think I'm going to go sleep soon, and I really have no idea how long it's going to be for this time. I know I'll wake up from it, it's just one of those feelings, if you know what I mean?

My time's not up quite yet, but I know I'm going to fight for every last second, and the last thing I want to see is those deep, storm-tossed eyes of yours and my beautiful new-born son. I need to hear your voice, that melodic song of yours bid me farewell, and I know that we already understand what we always meant to each other. We were never just companions and friends, were we?

I can't fight for much longer, though. I know that you'll be here soon, for the final hours, and that is what keeps me going.

I love you, my dear Doctor, I always have done and always will. Be the best like you are, be the brilliance that keeps the universe turning. Be the loving father I know you'll be.

Until the raven sings it last as we did on that summer's day,

Belle Kish(ikolm!)


	2. It's Complicated

"**You are going to love this place!" The Doctor's voice sounded around the console, and Belle leant over the edge, smiling.**

"**So where are we going, then?" She asked, barely containing her excitement, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and the desire to explore a new world. Her fingers danced lightly over the controls, and the Doctor smiled his lopsided grin back, a flash of dazzling white teeth as his eyes gazed into hers.**

"**Surprise!" He shouted back, as the TARDIS roared it's way through the vortex, spinning fast, bouncing along to the sound of the universe.**

"**Am I going to be alive when we get there?"**

**The Doctor laughed at the question, he could hear the light-hearted tone she's was using and he knew she was joking with him.**

"**With me here? Always!"**

**Belle smiled at him sweetly. "And you promise nothing bad is going to happen to us this time?"**

"**Belle, I said we'd take a break, and I mean it. And, I can absolutely guarantee for one, that nothing bad is going to happen."**

**She let out a sigh of relief, resting on the worn fabric of the Captain's chair, watching in both amusement and adoration and the Doctor danced around the console, flicking switches here, pulling the lever there, letting out 'oohhs' and 'aahhs' as he would remember something he had forgotten in his massively-complex and superior Time Lord brain. **

**As if sensing her gaze, he peered up around the edge of the console, his messy brown hair dangling over his eyes and the TARDIS rocked gently against the time winds.**

"**Are you okay?" **

**The Doctor asked, a look of puzzlement apparent on his face, as he caught her eyes. She turned her head quickly, chocolate strands of hair sweeping down over her shoulder, hiding the faint blush that pronounced itself across her cheeks, and Belle couldn't help but feel thankful that the Doctor couldn't see her embarrassment.**

"**Belle, are you okay?" He asked again, his manic energy fading as quickly as the Doctor would throw off his coat with a flourish as he'd run into the TARDIS, ready for another adventure…**

**She shook her head slightly to herself, and she didn't realise that he had seen the movement until she heard approaching footsteps on the metal grating.**

"**No?"**

"**Yes! I mean, no, I mean… Wait, what was the question again?" She smiled nervously, not daring to meet his eyes.**

**Concern swept over his handsome features, his brows furrowed in thought. "I asked if you were okay," he said slowly, and Belle laughed uneasily.**

"**Course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?"**

**The Doctor stepped close to her, tilting her head towards him, his eyes looking deep into hers. **

"**I don't know, you just seemed kind of… Distant. Promise me you'll tell me if anything is wrong, yeah?" He said softly, and she nodded slightly.**

"**I'm fine, probably just a bit tired or something I ate, that's all." She made to move from the chair, but he seized her wrist gently with elegantly long and slender fingers. She turned to look at him, and his eyes were gazing deep into hers, as if he could reach into her soul.**

"**You're so… Beautiful," He whispered, and he released his grip on her, instead moving his hand slowly to cup her face. She leaned into his caress, her eyes closed softly as she savoured the moment just as he did, neither of them wanting to break the contact.**

"**Doctor…" She murmured softly, and he could hear the want and need in her voice, and he knew well himself that this was he had wanted, longed for, but never had he dared for fear of her rejection… Belle let out a soft moan as his other hand moved from her waist to her chest, and she slid down gently onto the TARDIS floor to make the Doctor more comfortable. He smiled softly at her, and as his hands slowly explored her body, removing fabric that almost protested at his pull and wandering across her fair unblemished skin, sending shivers throughout her body, he rested his head gently against her neck, breathing in deeply, inhaling her scent and trailing searing hot kisses up her neck, murmuring words and sweet nothings as he felt her hands on his chest, stroking him softly as she guided him out of his shirt, trying to satisfy themselves.**

**Unable to keep his feelings at bay for any longer, he pressed his lips tight against hers, gently but passionately, as if she was the very air he needed to breathe to stay alive. His hands moved more frantically over her body as he felt his need for her grow stronger, his arousal evident against his tight trousers. His own fingers tugged at her jeans, slipping them down as she kicked off her shoes, her moans encouraging him. She swiped her tongue against his lips as if seeking permission, and he let out a soft moan of approval, sucking her tongue into his mouth, entwining his with hers. She brought her tongue across the roof of his mouth, eliciting a deep groan from the Time Lord. He pulled her closer, pushing his hips against hers and moving them slowly, his own need and desire matching hers, murmuring his intentions softly in her ear, her hands pushing down his trousers and brushing lightly against his length, and she let out a moan of frustration, him moaning in pleasure, tugging him closer, their fingers lacing and braiding through the other's hair…**

**The TARDIS let out a sudden wheeze, the column dropping once finally and shaking slightly, informing her passengers that they had arrived at their destination. Her 'passengers' jumped apart immediately, the pair of them looking at each other critically, not knowing quite what the hell had just happened or what to say without confronting what had just occurred.**

"**Erm… I'm just gonna shower, then I'll see you back in here, 'kay?" The Doctor broke the awkward silence that had filled the air so suddenly, and Belle nodded simply.**

"**Yeah…Sure." She coughed slightly, before quickly grabbing her discarded clothes with haste and rushing from the room. The Doctor stared after her, his breath returning to him, and he shook his head softly, pulling himself mentally together. **

"**Sheesh, you'd think you'd never been touched before." He scolded himself, before following his companion's example, pulling up his trousers and picking up his shirt and jacket, then heading for his bathroom.**


	3. Who Am I To Tell You?

The ball of clothes hit the rim of the basket, balancing around for one complete loop before finally corkscrewing inside expertly. She kicked her shoes to the side of the room, before picking up a fluffy white bathrobe, courtesy of the TARDIS, and walking into her en-suite.

Belle settled the robe on the chest of drawers, before rummaging through a box on the shelf to find the strawberry shampoo that she'd recently just bought. She stretched to pick up the box properly, but the box simply tippled over, its contents hitting the floor and herself in the process. She swore in annoyance, then cursed again when she realised that there was a very good reason why she couldn't find it - it was in the Doctor's bathroom. The TARDIS laughed slightly, apologizing immediately as a dark look appeared on her face.

"You might think it's bloody hilarious, but I, for one, do not. It's bad enough having to see this every flipping time I need to shower, which then makes me think about that, which is even more awkward considering what has just happened. Geez, if there was an Olympic Sport for awkwardness, we'd definitely win Gold."

The TARDIS hummed in agreement and consolation.

'This' referred to the small star tattoo that now decorated the back of her upper thigh, which she'd been amazed to discover the next morning when she was also greeted by a massive hangover, and a sleeping, naked Time Lord draped across her. It was only a few days later that they had both realised that another Torchwood celebratory outing, an excessive amount of alcohol and Cardiff City Centre on a Friday night was not a good mix. The TARDIS had then kindly filled them in with the more graphic details, being that the Doctor and Jack had decided that everyone should play a drinking game, using hyper-vodka that had been outlawed on several planets and in several galaxies rather than normal vodka, and that the game happened to have been 'I've never'. It hardly surprised the Doctor and Belle that they'd got so drunk - being a 906-year-old Time Lord meant that there wasn't a lot he hadn't done, and her being a Torchwood agent, a listed UNIT agent, time-traveller and former freelancer meant that there was quite a lot of strange things she had dealt with. Whilst Owen had decided to get himself into a fight, Jack hitting the decks to spin out some tunes, Tosh hacking into the lighting systems and playing havoc with them, and Gwen and Rhys having yet another argument, the Doctor had dragged Belle off out by the river to explore somewhere he would definitely not when sober - Cardiff. For some reason unknown to the pair of them, she'd followed him unwittingly into a tattoo shop, which had resulted in the star at the top of her right leg.

However, the same outing had then led to 'that', 'that' being the Doctor (him yet again, and when Belle pointed out this, the Doctor had simply whined that it wasn't his fault, and that if it was anyone's it was either the guy who kept serving them after they'd had hyper-vodka or Captain Jack's for taking them out) pulling her back to the TARDIS and making a move on her. Clearly, his move and attempt had been successful, and that one occasion of drunken sex seemed to be of consequences.

Belle laughed at the irony. That consequence had just led to him trying to make another move again, one which she had submitted to willingly.

She sighed. Why couldn't her life just be simple for once? Most 19-nearly-20-year-old's were either at university or working someplace, a simple routine that would repeat itself constantly. Weekdays for working, weekends for partying and relaxing. But for her? Everyday was either filled with paperwork, fighting aliens and defending the Earth and various other planets, or something that somehow risked her or someone else's life.

She glanced at the shower, before turning to turn on the taps of the large, jacuzzi-like bathtub. She really couldn't be bothered standing underneath the shower after what had just happened, all Belle wanted to do was sit down, be warm, and try to figure a way to sort out this whole mess.

Stepping carefully into the hot bubbles, Belle leant back in the tub. The water was perfect as always, the TARDIS seeming to know just how she liked everything, and quite relaxing too. Closing her eyes briefly, she tilted her head upwards.

"Oh, what do I do?" She asked the TARDIS softly, and her reply was almost instant.

_Tell him. Tell him why you seemed so distant. He knows you are hiding something from him, and soon you will not be able to avoid it yourself…_

"Tomorrow. I'll tell him tomorrow." She sat upright, nodding to herself in a promise.

_Definitely?_

"Definitely."

_Promise?_

"I promise," Belle said gently, and she mentally shook hands with the sentient.


End file.
